No Good in Goodbye
by amyvictoriaa
Summary: Mary and Matthew are cold towards eachother and have burried their feelings for one another or at least that's what they say. Mary has met a rich and powerful man that she believe's could perhaps be her ticket to independance, away from Downton but does she know what she's getting herself into? Matthew isn't sure where he belongs anymore until something happens...


**_I have had ideas for this story for quite a while now so I was quite excited to finally post the first chapter.  
>I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it.<em>**

**_Please leave reviews after reading, it only takes a minute and I really appreciate every single one. They encourage me to write more._**

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><p><em><span>Short resumé:<span> Downton Abbey 1919, Mary and Matthew are cold towards eachother and have burried their feelings for one another or at least that's what they say. Mary has met a rich and powerful man that she believe's could perhaps be her ticket to independance, away from Downton and Matthew isn't sure where he belongs anymore._

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><p>The Crawley family were gathered around the fireplace in the library. They were joined by the Dowager Countess and Isobel. Mary, Sybil and Edith shared one couch, Matthew was stood up talking to Robert and Tom about the estate, Cora was sat in a chair by the couch as she talked with Sybil whilst Violet and Isobel shared the other couch and were in deep conversation, arguing about this and that, as they do… The family dog, Isis was stretched out in front of the fire wagging her tail contently as she looked up at this warm and cozy scene.<p>

Matthew kept glancing at Mary who looked a million miles away, what could she be thinking? He thought to himself. He felt guilty as though it was his fault she was so distant. He just hoped that one day they could be friends...

Hearing the grandfather clock striking ten, Violet stood up and said her goodbyes, Robert did the same as he accompanied her to her car and went to bed himself.

"I feel rather tired all of a sudden, I think I might go up too." Sybil said, yawning.

"I'll join you." Tom said. "I have to be up early tomorrow morning to help Matthew with the cottages."

"Goodnight everyone." Sybil kissed her mama goodnight and they walked out of the library and up the stairs.

"Perhaps we should be leaving too, Mother." Matthew suggested as he walked over to Isobel.

"Yes, I'm afraid we must." She replied.

After saying his goodbyes, Matthew turned to Mary who was staring straight past him.

"Goodnight." He said politely, trying to get her attention.

"Goodnight." She replied coldly after a few moments.

Matthew took a last look at her but noticed she had already turned her head away. He looked down at the floor and sighed quietly before following his mother into the car.

"I'm afraid I'm rather tired too Mama." Mary said all of a sudden. "I'll go up now, goodnight". And with that, she stood up and headed towards the door, no expression whatsoever on her face.

Cora turned to Edith as if to ask what was wrong with Mary but Edith only knew as much as her mother did so she simply shook her head and followed Mary upstairs to bed.

Cora took a look around the now - empty room and stood there for a minute trying to work out what was wrong with her eldest daughter and why she couldn't make an effort with Matthew.

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><p><em>The next morning:<em>

"Matthew!" Isobel shouted as she searched the house for her son.

"I'm in the drawing room." He replied.

"Ah, there you are." She said as she entered the drawing room. "What are you reading?" She asked before joining him in front of the warm fire.

"Oh, nothing." He replied with a sigh. "What did you want?" He asked turning his attention to his mother and closing the book he had been reading.

"Ah, yes." She remembered. "I have a letter for Cousin Violet, would you mind dropping it off on your way into the village?" She asked before handing him the letter.

"You know, Mother, you could just post it." He answered.

"Well I would, but it's rather urgent you see..." She replied with a smile on her face.

"What is it?" He inquired, wondering why exactly it was so urgent, as she put it.

"Oh, nothing for you to worry about." She replied.

"I suppose I could drop it off on my way to the village." He said, taking the letter from her hand.

"Thank you." She replied with a cunning smile on her face.

Matthew looked at his mother with a puzzled face but thought nothing of it and left the room with the letter tucked safely in his pocket.

Once he had left the room, Isobel stared at the book he had been reading on the couch and she giggled to herself and shook her head when she read the title 'Perseus and Andromeda'.

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><p>Matthew arrived at the Dower House with his mother's letter. Spratt let him in and took him to the drawing room. He opened the door and let Violet know that she had a visitor.<p>

"Mr. Crawley, My Lady." Spratt announced in his usual snobbish voice.

Violet stood up as Matthew entered the room but she hadn't been waiting alone.

"Mary?" Matthew asked, surprised to see her there.

"Oh, what a coincidence!" Violet exclaimed in a very unconvincing voice.

Mary through her grandmother an angry look when she realised that she had been set up.

"Is that my letter?" Violet asked as she approached Matthew.

"Yes, my mother sent it." He replied as he handed it over to her.

"Why don't you two sit down and chat for a moment, I'll just go get my letter opener." Violet suggested as she made her way over to the door with a smug smile on her face.

"No, that's alright Granny, I must be leaving now anyway." Mary replied in an annoyed voice.

"Oh, so soon dear?" Violet asked, disappointed that her and Isobel's idea to get Mary and Matthew to talk to eachother properly hadn't quite gone to plan.

"I'm afraid so." She replied as she stood up and made her way towards the door. "Goodbye Cousin Matthew." She said coldly.

"Goodbye." He replied. He watched her leave and he couldn't believe how rude she had been towards him. What had he ever done to her to make her react this way? That was a question he never stopped asking himself.

Violet sighed to herself and turned to Matthew with appologetic eyes.

"I should be leaving too, Cousin Violet." He decided. "Goodbye."

"Oh, will we see you at dinner tonight?" She asked, hoping that he and Mary could talk then.

"I'm not sure." He replied before leaving the room.

Violet stood alone in her house, wondering why they couldn't just get along. They're so well suited to eachother, she thought. If only they could see that...

Matthew had decided not to go into the village and headed straight home instead. He felt humiliated and he didn't want to see anyone.

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><p>"You're back early!" Isobel exclaimed when she saw her son walk through the front door. "I hadn't expected you back so soon." She added.<p>

"I would appreciate it if you would stay out of my private affairs in the future, Mother!" Matthew said, raising his voice as he walked straight past Isobel who seemed confused.

Isobel couldn't understand what was the matter with him so she followed him into the library.

"What happened?" She asked softly.

"I think you know perfectly well what happened." He replied, turning red with anger before pooring himself a glass of brandy.

"Matthew, my boy, I-"

"She didn't even want to talk to me, she couldn't get out of there fast enough." Matthew said, cutting his mother off.

"Oh, Matthew..." Isobel sighed. "Cousin Violet and I thought that if you could only talk to eachother-"

"What makes you think I would even want to talk to her anyway?" He asked stubbornly.

Isobel stared at the floor, not knowing what to say.

"She's rude, snobbish, self-centered..." He continued, but so beautiful he thought to himself. "I think I'll go upstairs and rest, if you don't mind." He said as he made his way to the door.

"Matthew." Isobel said. "I'm sorry, I only want what's best for you."

Matthew looked his mother in the eye and sighed before heading upstairs.

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><p>"Are you coming to dinner at the Abbey tonight?" Isobel asked her son.<p>

"Although I much rather not, I have some buisness to discuss with Robert so, yes I suppose I am." He replied.

"Good." Isobel added enthusiasticly  
>"I just hope I don't have to sit next to Mary at dinner." He said as Molesly help him slip into his coat.<p>

Isobel smiled at her son as she opened the front door.

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><p>Cora, Edith and Sybil had gathered in Mary's room for a chat before going down for dinner.<p>

"I do hope you can make an effort with Matthew tonight." Cora told her eldest daughter.

"For goodness' sake, why does everyone keep going on about him as though he's some sort of god?!" Mary exclaimed as Anna finished putting the finishing touches in her hair.

"I don't know why you dislike him so much, I think he's rather charming." Edith interrupted.

"You would." Mary replied, rolling her eyes which made Edith blush in embarassment.

"I'm not asking you to marry him, I-" Cora began before getting cut off by Mary.

"I should hope not! Marry a man that can't even hold his knife like a gentleman!" She exclaimed, clealy shocked at the prosepct of marrying someone like Matthew that hadn't come from the same background as she had.

"You exagerate." Cora replied but the look Mary gave her told her she meant every word she said.

"We should be going down." Edith pointed out before standing up and heading towards the door.

"You're right, are you coming Mary?" Cora asked as she stood up and followed her youngest daughters towards the door.

"I'll be down in a minute." Mary replied as she pretended to be choosing a perfume.

Cora smiled at her and left the room.

Once they had left, Mary stared at herself in the mirror for a moment wondering why her life couldn't be simpler.

"Is everything alright My Lady?" Anna asked as she picked up some clothes off of Mary's bed.

Mary suddenly realised she was staring into thin air and turned around to face her maid.

"It would be if everyone stopped talking about Matthew Crawley." She sighed.

"If you don't mind me saying Milady, there are worse men in the world than . Everyone downstairs seems quite fond of him." Anna said softly in an innocent voice.

"I never said he was the worst, he just isn't for me, that's all." Mary replied before leaving the room and heading downstairs.

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><p>At dinner, Matthew had got his wish, he wasn't sat next to Mary, but he was sat opposite her in the middle of the table, it was as if they had been placed at the center of attention together for everyone to observe. Matthew felt extremely unconfortable, he noticed that everyone seemed to be turned towards Mary and him as though they were waiting for something to happen.<p>

Why did he have to be sat opposite her? Mary thought to herself. Of all the people's face there tonight, his was the one she had to stare at for an hour whilst she ate. She wasn't looking forward to the meal, she had Edith and Sir Anthony Strallon to her left and right so she could garantee a boring dinner.

After about fifteen minutes, her mama give the signal to turn and so she turned to face Sir Anthony who only talked about shooting and his love for cars. She could feel her eyelids getting heavy and she wanted nothing more than to leave the room and get away from everyone who crowded her.

Matthew took one glance at her and noticed how tired she looked, due to Anthony Strallon, no doubt, he thought. He was worried about talking to Mary after the way she reacted the last time they met but she looked as though she were about to fall asleep sat up.

"Mary, I hear you're going to London this weekend." He said shyly.

Hearing a voice other than Strallon's talking to her was a relief, even if it was Matthew's.

"I am." She replied as she regained her posture and turned to face Matthew.

"For anything special?" He asked as he took an interest in her life instead of talking to her about his own like poor old Strallon had done all evening.

"As a matter of fact, I'm meeting a friend." She answered with a slight smile on her face which surprised both Matthew and herself. But realising she was been a little too nice to him for her liking, she quickly wiped the smile off of her face.

"Oh?" He asked curiously.

"What's this?" Robert interrupted.

"I'm going to London on Saturday." She repeated for anyone who was interested. Of course, they probably all knew what they were talking about, after all, everyone had clearly been watching her and Matthew.

"Will you stay with Rosamund?" Cora inquired.

"I haven't asked her yet but I probably will." She replied.

"You've been in London a lot lately, you haven't got some chap you're not telling us about, have you?" Edith asked curiously.

"Of course not! Honestly..." Mary exclaimed, turning a little red.

"Well then, what is it?" Edith continued, clearly enjoying putting Mary on the spot.

Mary looked around, not knowing what to answer, Robert was patiently awaiting an answer too.

"I-" She began.

"I'm sure she's got a pretty good reason for being there, we're all allowed to get away sometimes aren't we?" Matthew interviened.

"I suppose so." Cora answered.

With that everyone got on with their meal. Mary looked up at Matthew with a puzzled look on her face. Why would he want to help me? She wondered. Just then, he looked back at her.

"Thank you." She mouthed.

Matthew smiled back at her and nodded as if to say 'you're welcome'. He wondered why she was going to London quite so often recently but he didn't ask, he figured that she must have had a good reason and besides, he wasn't used to seeing her smile around him and he rather liked it.

After dinner, when everyone split, Mary held Matthew back until everyone else had left the room.

"I wanted to thank you - for what you did earlier, I mean. Edith grabs every opportunity she can to humiliate me." She said with a warm smile on her face.

"It was nothing, really. We should all be allowed to have secrets." Matthew replied in an amicabe voice.

"It isn't a secret as such, you'll find out soon, everyone will. But for now it's best kept secret." She explained.

Matthew smiled at her for a moment, it was so nice to finally be able to talk to her without any voices being raised.

"Thank you again, you actually saved me twice..." Mary said.

"Twice?" He asked. "How so?"

"You saved me from dying of boredom because of Anthony Strallon." She joked.

"Oh." He said, realising what she meant. "I think I deserve a medal for that!" He laughed.

"I think you do!" She replied.

"Anyway, I should be heading into the drawing room, Robert wanted to discuss the cottages." Matthew said, realising that people will be starting to miss them.

"Yes, you're right. Mama will be wondering where I am." She agreed.

With that, they both set off towards the drawing room. Mary had surprised herself by talking to Matthew. She never thought she would be thanking him. But he shined in comparaison to Strallon.

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><p><em><strong>That's the end of chapter 1. I hope you enjoyed it, please let me know what you thought by posting a review.<br>If you have any ideas or suggestions for the upcoming chapters, I'm open to anything, and I'll take your thoughts into consideration.  
><strong>_

_**Thank you very much for reading !  
>Oh and if you are interested, there is a Poll on my profile, take a look if you like, it takes less than 20 seconds to vote:) Thanks again.<strong>_


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